Former Washington Rep. Edward Pangelinan, who chaired the Marianas Political Status Commission, said the Youth Congress should take a stand as the youth will be greatly affected by Article 12.
“We are here to support and provide you with information and to guide you. As the future leaders of the CNMI, you are the only hope of the islands because right now, our leaders are not discussing it,” Pangelinan told the youth senators.
He added, “Right now all we can do is debate about it, hold discussions, write letters to the editor but we have no official forum to hold a discussion, and we are encouraging you to begin deliberations so that by 2011, or the end of the 25-year period, we will have already formed a position.”
Under Article 12 of the CNMI Constitution, only persons of Northern Marianas descent can buy or own land in the commonwealth.
But the Covenant, which made the islands part of the U.S., allows the CNMI to amend or repeal its land alienation restrictions 25 years after the termination of the Trusteeship agreement in 1986.
According to Pangelinan, “We only have three years before we begin the process of a very comprehensive review of Article 12, and we hope you take this challenge seriously and provide the leadership role on one of the most significant provisions of our Constitution.”
The committee said “if you own a piece of property in the CNMI, you must take full charge of that property. You do not need the government or anyone to tell you what to do with your property. You have every right to decide what to do with your property, and we are educated and matured enough to decide on our own without government interference. The CNMI government has no valid reason for interfering in the private affairs of individuals including privately owned land matters.”
Pangelinan was accompanied by Tan Holdings executive David Sablan and Sen. Maria T. Pangelinan, D-Saipan.
